Does Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Live Up To The Hype?

With all the media circus and secrecy surrounding the development and eventual release of the last instalment in the series, this was a question on many people's lips. To a certain extent for me, the huge book (all 784 pages of it!) certainly pulls no punches.

***Spoiler alert***

From the beginning, as Voldemort grows in power and sends the world into darkness as a result of taking over the Ministry of Magic, there is widespread oppression of both Muggles and Mugbloods. Voldemort and his merry band, known as the Death Eaters, stop at nothing to destroy all non pure-blooded witch or wizard.

At the same time, Harry's friends conspire to save him from Privet Drive, which would no longer provide him a safe haven as the spell would dissipate on his 17th birthday. Throughout the book, the author, J.K. Rowling, has laid a cloak of impending doom and dread over the proceedings - in the process, you will see the deaths of quite a number of characters.

Harry, Hermione and Ron set out on a quest to locate the Horcruxes, after dropping out of Hogwarts. This journey is filled with the trials and tribulations which not only continue to build the characters, but also serve to make the readers love and adore them so much more. The adventure never fails to delight, in much part due to Rowling's uncanny ability for suspense-building and pacing.

Another facet of the Harry Potter series which have personally mesmerised me, is that while the bad characters are essentially bad, the good ones are never totally pure. Weaknesses abound in men, and the very human traits of cowardice and foolishness is also evident in the series. In this book, a book released by Rita Skeeter reveals the dirty secrets of a well-loved character.

Of course, the glorious moments of friendship and love, bravey and loyalty, abound as the book climaxes to an astounding, if not totally unexpected, ending. You can feel Rowlings love for her own characters, which brought a tear to my eyes with the tender and poignant close to an exhausting, but just as exhiliarating ride with Harry Potter over the 7 books and many years.

And what of The Deathly Hallows? The author somehow manages to slip it into the book very elegantly, despite it having caused minor confusion when the book title was first announced.